Duke: Closing Asheville power plant an option

Letter notes option as part of coal ash action plan

9:35 PM,
Mar. 14, 2014

Written by

Clarke Morrison

Duke Energy says in a letter to state officials that it would consider shutting down its Asheville power plant as part of a plan for dealing with coal ash contamination.

The utility also said it might convert to producing dry ash at the Lake Julian plant rather than the wet material that has leached toxic chemicals from storage ponds into the groundwater.

But the letter Duke CEO Lynn Good sent Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday leaves in doubt what might eventually be done with coal ash already in two Asheville lagoons, which cover 91 acres at the plant near the French Broad River. ...